THE DIFFIRENT DIVERSITIES OF LEARNERS
IN A MULTICULTURAL CLASSROOM.
CULTURAL
ETHNIC ORIGIN
RELIGION
GENDER
ECONOMIC STATUS
Diversity of Learners in Multicultural Classroom
According to James Banks (1975 in Sdker, 1991), a leading
researcher in the area of students, “ the major goal of
multicultural education is to transform the school so that
the male and female student’s exceptional learners, as well
as students coming from diverse cultural, social-class,
radial and ethnic group will experience an equal opportunity
to learn in school.
The diversity or differences of the students
Students may differ in race which is commonly indicated by the color of
the skin.
They may belong to the different ethnic or religious groups and speak
different languages.
The socio-economic backgrounds.
.
a. A families that are plagued by poverty, unemployment, frequent relocations, limited
access to high quality medical and social service and perhaps crime ridden neighborhood.
In the midst of this diversity, the students are supposed to be given
equal opportunities to education. Thus, there is a need for curricular and
instructional modifications, teaching styles, re-examination of teacher’s
attitudes, beliefs and perception. This movement called multicultural
education enables teachers of learners from diverse background and
familiarity with students’ histories of diverse cultures(Haertel, 1998).
The inclusion of learners with special needs has also increased diversity
in school. Environmental adaption of classrooms, behavior support plans
cooperative learning, peer tutoring and team teaching are some of the
responses of multicultural education.
Taking into account the diversity in school is a major challenge. Every
one’s heritage is given due respect, and differences may lead to a basis
for stereotyping which multicultural teacher have to avoid(Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 1998).
Culture evolves over time. One results of this process is beliefs and
practices help us adapt to persistent and circumstances. These beliefs and
practices are organized as models or schema about how things work.
Practices that are proper develop and help individuals or groups survive in
this ever changing world environment.
Accommodating Cultural
Differences and
Commonalities
A teacher does not have to go to abroad to be able to encounter
diversity in the classroom. The issue of cultural majority-minority in the
classroom has posed a challenge to teachers, where the girls are more
than the boys, the natives are more than those immigrants, the rich are
less than the poor and many other diverse that greatly influence how
the teacher would accommodate difference and commonalities. Added
to this, is the fact that sometimes the teachers come from a culture
that is different from where their students belong.
The teacher themselves are unaware of the cultural norms that exist in
the diverse culture, which often times interfere with teaching and
learning. Therefore it is very important for a prospective teacher like
you to be knowledgeable about differences in cultures, religion,
ethnicity and even language of your students. Their values and
experiences may be entirely different from your own
*To assist you in understanding your multi-cultural learners.
Learn as much about and become as sensitive to and aware of radical, ethnic,
cultural and gender groups other than your own.
Never make assumptions about an individual based on your perception of the
individual’s race, ethnicity, culture or gender.
Avoid stereotyping.
Get to know each student as unique individual: walk in the footstep of all your
students.
Look into your own conscious and subconscious biases about the people who
are different from yourselves in race, ethnicity, culture, gender or
socioeconomic status.
Plan your activities within a multicultural framework while making your
classroom a safe and secure haven for all the students.
Infuse multicultural instructional materials and strategies in your teaching.
Foster collaboration and cooperation among your learners, parent and teachers.
Some guiding principles which were adapted from an interdisciplinary group of
psychologists, political scientists, sociologists and multicultural specialists, are
hereby presented.
1. Pre-service teacher education programs should help prospective teachers
understand the complex characteristics of ethnic groups in ways race, ethnicity,
language and social class interact to influence students behavior.
2. Teachers should ensure that all students have equitable opportunities to learn
and to perform to a standard.
3. Teacher should help students acquire social skills needed to interact effectively
with students from other racial, ethnic, cultural, language of social groups.
4. The school curriculum helps students understand that knowledge is socially
constructed and are reflective of the social, political and economic context in
which they live and work.
5. Schools should provide all students with opportunities to participate in extra-and
co-curricular activities that develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that increase
academic achievement and foster positive intercultural relationships.
6. Teacher and students should learn to reduce or eliminate stereotyping
and other related biases that have negative effects on racial and ethnic
relationships.
[Link] should provide opportunities for students from different racial,
ethnic, cultural and language groups to interact socially under conditions
designed to reduce fear and anxiety.
8. Teacher should teach and students should learn about the values shares
virtually by all cultural groups like justice, equality, freedom, peace,
compassion and charity among others.
Thank you for
listening
GODBLESS!!
